MySims

Overview

There is no doubt in my mind that 99.9% of you out there reading this review have heard of The Sims. Originally a Maxis title (now part of Electronic Arts) The Sims is really just a simulation of life. That’s right, you control the actions of one to several people’s life from daily activities to being promoted. Now we have seen The Sims come to the consoles before, in fact we already saw the game hit the Nintendo Wii once, but today we are checking out really the first "Wii-Centered" Sims title yet, MySims. So does this game have what it takes to be a worthwhile title? Read our full review to find out!

Gameplay

The first time I played The Sims on the Wii it was kind of that half hearted feeling, like you could see glimpses of how it could work with the Wii’s control scheme but there was going to be a lot more work needed to get to that point. With MySims this is really the first Sims title to be made for the Wii, if the name didn’t already give it away, the actual game itself is much more suited to be a Wii title. First and foremost, there won’t be the same level of micro managing that we had in all other Sims titles. No, in MySims you are pretty open to do whatever you want without having to go to the restroom and sleep every five minutes.

Instead the game is much more task oriented. There is a basic story line that advances the game, but the main goal is to get your town from out of obscurity and into the spotlight. To do this you will be doing a lot of construction, something this game actually does quite well. It’s not an overly complex system, and someone with very limited video game skills would probably be able to get through it with relative ease. Outside constructing buildings, you will be planting trees, finding objects, socializing, and everything you can to get your town on the right track.

The thing about MySims is that you’re going to draw comparisons to Animal Crossing, as both share a somewhat familiar feel, just different worlds. MySims has the feel of Animal Crossing in that you’re going to be doing a lot of little tasks, some of which are entertaining and others that you could do without. For example there are only so many times I can plant a tree, water it, and repeat.

Outside of building and some other tasks, the game is pretty much all spoken for. Now that may sound like a bad thing, but in fact for MySims it actually works quite well. For me it took me a good half hour to grab a hold of exactly what I should be doing in this game, and then I got a bit hooked. It is not as deep of an experience as an Animal Crossing, but at the same time it does what it sets out to do pretty well. Overall it has some underlying weaknesses but the overall product is solid nonetheless.

Graphics

Just like Animal Crossing, MySims is not a graphical powerhouse, but once again it never really goes out to try and be one. Instead we are given a rather smooth and overall stylized look at a town that works for what it is trying to do. The use of color is by far the more impressive attribute of the game, and it is the use of color that really compliments the rest of the game. Once again the game accomplished what it set out to do.

Fun Factor

At first I was a bit mixed on the whole experience, MySims felt to me like a bit of a jumbled mess, but as I got into the game and really learned about what it was wanting to do, I began to really enjoy it. I would say that if you come into the experience open minded, then you’re going to find things you enjoy doing in the game. Although it’s not a sandbox title by any stretch, there are still a lot of choices you can make and you really can make the experience what you want it to be.

Overall

MySims is not a great game, but it does enough right to earn a good rating. I would say this is the type of game that if you’re bored one weekend looking for a game for your Wii, then MySims is a game that can take up a lot of your time and make for an enjoyable experience.

Joel Szerlip

The owner and editor-in-chief of Darkstation.com. I've been apart of the website since 2002 and purchased the website in 2010. Owning and running Darkstation is a dream come true. I love video games and I love writing and talking about them even more.

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